Omdia: In the third quarter of 2020, 109 commercial 5G networks were launched worldwide

On October 28, according to the latest 5G service provider tracking data released by market research firm Omdia, the number of commercial 5G mobile broadband networks launched worldwide reached 109 in the third quarter of 2020. Taking into account networks that use 5G to provide home broadband services (fixed wireless access), the total number released by communications service providers (CSPs) reached 140 by the end of the third quarter of 2020.

Western Europe has the most commercial 5G mobile broadband networks at 33, followed by Asia Pacific (31) and the Middle East (17). The Middle East has the most live 5G FWA networks at 11, followed by Western Europe (8) and Asia Pacific (6).

5G is already the second fastest growing new mobile communications technology launched by the telecommunications industry, behind only 2G, the first mass-market mobile service. There are 38% more mobile broadband networks than there were a full two years after 4G was first launched, and in its first full year of commercial service, 5G surpassed the total subscriptions that 4G had three years later. Omdia expects that by 2025, 5G mobile subscriptions will exceed 3 billion, accounting for nearly a third of all mobile subscriptions.

Paul Lambert, principal analyst at Omdia, commented: “The telecoms industry has been more successful than ever in agreeing the extremely complex 5G technology standards and then manufacturing the network equipment that will allow service providers to be first to market with 5G.”

It is foreseeable that as network activity increases, 5G technology, like previous generations, will expand and enhance the way people experience their connected digital lives. For professional users, such as gamers, industries and enterprises, 5G also brings faster response times, so data-heavy experiences, services and applications feel more vivid and immediate.